Conrad Fisher and the Primordials: The Land of Serpents
The first book in the Conrad Fisher and the Primordials series. Instead of Percy Jackson, the main character in this book is Conrad Fisher, son of Hydros, personification of the sea and protogenos of the water. Instead of the Olympians, this story focuses more on the Protogenoi, or "first-borns." The book is a first person acount of Conrad's first year at Camp Half-Blood, in which he becomes engaged in an epic quest to search for and find Ophion, the ancient serpent ruler of the earth, and prove his worthiness to both his father and the Council of Protogenoi. The Olympians, on the other hand, wish for him and his friends to be destroyed, making them public enemy number one in the mythological world and sending their armies to eliminate them. Conrad starts out as an "ordinary" kid (save for his dyslexia) going to Altakraz Middle School in Bridgeport, Connecticut. He is a good student, for a demigod, but still doesn't like school. He and his friend Winter Nordman, daughter of Boreas, had gone to the same school for years, but strange things always seemed to happen to the two of them. In kindergarten they were doing finger-painting and a snail that was resting on the windowsill jumped at them. But just before the snail could reach them a gust of wind blew it into the wall and cracked open its shell. No one believed that it jumped at them and they were punished for killing a wild animal. Also, the old principal of their school once began chasing them with a knife. He was arrested, but Winter said that while he was chasing them she could see that he only had one eye. Conrad's babysitter also once tried to bite him but his mother came home just in time and fired her. The story follows them and their friends Eric Holly, a monopod, Alexander Young, son of Hebe, Damek Wyrm, son of Verminus, and Phineas Little, a cerastes. Prophecy This prophecy is performed by Prometheus, titan of forethought, after the Conrad's first game of capture the flag. "Son of the water firstborn, go forth to seek the serpent king in his den." "Go forth with a company of four to seek him in his land." "Go forth, though one shall fall and be lost." "Go forth, though an enemy shall follow you." "Go forth, however many enemies you make doing what is right." "Go forth, though near your destination two companions will meet their ends." "Son of the water firstborn, go forth to the Land of Serpents, where you will make neither enemies nor friends." Plot Summary The story starts with Conrad having a nightmare about a mysterious man speaking to him and then casting him into a pit. When he wakes up, he has no clue about what just happened but is aching all over. He heads downstairs and eats breakfast before his mother drives him to his bus stop. There, he is cornered by the school bully, Neville Turnipstern, for his field trip money, but is interrupted when the school bus arrives and Conrad runs to the bus and heads off to school. Chapter List This is a list of all the chapters in the book along with short summaries of their contents. Chapter 1: I Play Frisbee with a Viper The story begins with Conrad lying at the edge of a barren wasteland, shuddering with pain and fear. Behind him there is a massive crater that plunges deep into the earth. Up in the sky above, their is a huge man looking down at him. He tells Conrad that resistance is futile and that he can do nothing to prevent him from rising. Conrad says he has no idea what he is talking about but is silenced again when he experiences another jolt of pain. The man in the sky says that he will not kill Conrad now, as he will be of use to him later. He bids him farewell and with a gust of wind, sends him flying off the edge into the abyss. Conrad wakes up, lying in bed and covered in sweat. He tries to get up, but his body is aching. He hears his mom's voice coming from the kitchen telling him that it's a school day and he has to get up. He forces himself to get up put on his clothes and then rushes downstairs to eat his breakfast, forgetting completely about his nightmare. His mother asks why he's so enthusiastic and he responds by saying that today is a field trip day, the only one of the year. Conrad's school never has the budget to go on field trips, so the throughout the rest of the year it's pretty much a prison camp. the only reason they could afford to pay for this field trip is because the students have to pay for admission. He and his class are going on a whale-watching boat to see some whales and learn about their feeding habits and other stuff, burt Conrad is only really excited because it means that he gets to be near the sea. The sea is the only place he really feels comfortable and whenever he's their his pains go away. He gets out of his chair but is forced to sit down again by another jolt of pain. His mother expresses some concern and suggests that he not go to school if these pains keep up. Conrad says that if he stayed home every time he felt a jolt of pain he would never go to school. His mom drives him to his bus stop but when they arrive there Conrad is almost immediately surrounded by a bunch of goons. At their head is Neville Turnipstern, the school bully. He demands him for his field trip money but is stopped when Conrad's schoolbus arrives to pick him up. Upon leaving Conrad remarks on Neville's unnatural glassy stare, almost like he was hypnotised. Chapter 2: A Lizard Toasts My Bus Stop Chapter 3: A Fly Picks Me Up in a Motorboat Chapter 4: My Mole is a "Rare Gift" Chapter 5: My Friend Loses a Leg Chapter 6: I Nearly Get Impaled By a Wiener Fork Chapter 7: I Get Lectured on My Future Chapter 8: The Gods Suddenly Hate My Guts Chapter 9: We Can't Get Enough Cookies Chapter 10: Attack of the Aqua Pony Twins Chapter 11: We Get Ourselves in a Pickle Chapter 12: Someone REALLY Hates Us Chapter 13: My Phone is a Goblin Chapter 14: Dawn of a Really Bad Day Chapter 15: Winter Rides on a Space Worm Chapter 16: I Duel Chicken Horses on a Rocket Ship Chapter 17: My Enemy Gives Me Some Toothpaste Chapter 18: I Survive the Water Fountain of Death Chapter 19: We Have a Chat with Our "Friend" Chapter 20: My Dream Comes True Chapter 21: I Almost Save the Day Chapter 22: The Prophecy Isn't Over Category:Conrad Fisher and the Primordials Category:Greek Mythology